John stock



J. STOCK. PHOTOGRAPHIG PLATE HOLDER.

No. 18,780. Patented Dec. 1, 1857.

m: Noam: PETERS co. Pncnmurua. wnsumswn, u a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STOCK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PHOTOGRAPHIC-PLATE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,780, dated December 1, 1857.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN STOCK, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Photographic-Plate Holder; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure I, is an elevation of the frame or holder, opened to receive a glass or plate. Fig. II, is a vertical section of the same; and Fig. III, a horizontal sect-ion.

Similar letters denote corresponding parts.

Ambrotypes, photographs and similar pictures are made of different sizes, for which purpose frames are made to accommodate the different sizes, and are fitted one into the other, so that one and the same holder contains from four to six frames, each suitable for a different size picture, the whole of which is called a set. When used to any medium size plate, the smaller frames are taken away and put at one side, until required for smaller pictures, in consequence of which they are often mislaid and not very readily found when required.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction of a plate holder to which sliding pieces are fitted, capable of being moved in or out to accommodate any size glass or plate, said pieces being provided with suitable recesses and fianches to receive and support the glass or plate.

In the accompanying drawing A is a holder, adapted to the camera, in which the picture is to be taken, provided in the usual manner with a slide, 13, acted upon by the strip, n, to keep the same steady, for the purpose of excluding the light; and with a back, C, hinged on, provided with a catch, p, to keep the back closed when required; and with a spring, 8, to keep the glass or plate, P, properly in place, as usual.

In the lower part of the holder a guide, G, or way is fitted, in which the movable pieces, F, F, slide, and in which the drippings are likewise collected, and allowed to run ofi, through the hole, 0.

F, F, are two movable pieces, provided with a flanch, a, to support the corners of the glass or plate, and arranged with suitable recesses r, r, 7", 1 to correspond to the different sizes of the plates. Those pieces are made to slide easy in the guide, G, at the bottom and in a suitable groove at the upper side of the holder, of which said groove the smooth plate, H, forms the top. This plate H, is acted upon by a spring, so as to keep the pieces F, F, steady in any position they are moved.

1), '0 are projections, provided as the top and bottom of the pieces F, the lower one, o, fitting into notches, 10, made in the side flanch of the guide, G, and the upper projection, o, fit into notches, w, in the plate, L. This plate L forms the side of the groove in which the pieces F, F, are guided at the top, and is acted upon by springs, so as to keep the projections o, o, in their respective notches, and thereby keep the pieces F, F, fast in any desired position, at the same time allowing said pieces to be moved from one position into another, according to the size of the plate to be used.

The notches w, in the side piece of the guide, G, and the notches, w, in the plate, L, correspond with each other and are so arranged as to fix the pieces F, F in proper position for the different sizes of plates or glasses.

Instead of arranging the holder so that the pieces F, F, are made to slide inward or outward in suitable grooves, the same may be made as represented in Fig. IV, where recesses h, h h h are provided in the body of the holder into which projections, 9, made at the top and bottom of the pieces F are fitted. IVhen the holder requires to be changed to accommodate a different size glass, the pieces F are taken out and moved from one place into another recess corresponding to that size of plate required.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A plate holder for photographic or other purposes with movable pieces, F, to support the glass or plate, constructed in the manner specified, and for the purpose of accommodating different sizes of plates.

2. I claim the plates, H, and, L, acted upon by springs, for the purpose of keeping the pieces, F, F, in any desired position.

JOHN STOCK.

WVitnesses A. P. NORTON, HENRY E. Rononn. 

